Page 237 of Master of My Life

Sabrina sat up, not understanding the terror that was radiating out from Ethan. She didn’t have to

read him to know something was very wrong.

“Ethan?” She crawled up to look into his face, but his eyes were closed. “Ethan?” She put her

hand on his cheek and felt his jaw trembling.

She looked at Chase, who shook his head and gave a worried look to his friend.

“I’m sorry. I should have warned her not to—”

“No.” Ethan sucked in a deep breath and opened his eyes. He sat up and rested his elbows on his

knees, running his hands over his face. “No. I should tell you about it.” He turned and faced Chase,

lips pressed together. “If we’re going to do . . . this,” he motioned his hand between Chase and

Sabrina, “you should know.”

“You don’t have to tell us anything you don’t want to,” Chase said.

Ethan sucked in his cheeks and closed his eyes. “I’ve never told anyone about the tattoo.”

Sabrina put her hand on his, and he opened his eyes. She winced at the pain she saw in them.

He looked at Chase. “You know what my stepdad did.”

Chase nodded and Ethan looked at Sabrina. “My biological dad left my mom after she got

pregnant. They weren’t married or anything. She struggled bad after that. Her parents wouldn’t help,

and I was born in an abandoned hotel. She lived on the streets for a few months with me until she

found her way into a halfway house, found a job, and got settled.” He gave a tight smile. “I have a few

memories of that time, but not many. I think I was about five when we moved into a tiny apartment.”

He sighed. “About a year later, she met my stepdad. He was nice and had a good job and a house with

a big backyard. I remember him bringing me candy. Chocolate.”

Sabrina glanced at Chase, who watched Ethan with concern.

“They got married, and it was good for about a year. But he started changing. It was slow at first,

but after my mom had my sister, he really changed. I don’t know why.” Ethan was quiet for a few

minutes. Sabrina squeezed his hand, her heart going out to him. He sighed and looked up at the

ceiling. “I was eight the first time he . . . came into my room at night. My mom was at work, my little

sister was in the crib across the room. It was a small house.”

Ethan swallowed. “Blake . . . He . . .” He scratched his cheek and swallowed again. “He raped

me.” He looked up at the ceiling again, eyes filled with tears.

Sabrina went to wrap her arms around him, but Chase put his hand on her arm and shook his head.

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